Hi Ursula,

Thank you for reaching out to the UVM Extension Master Gardener Helpline.

Thanks for the photo! While it could be a squirrel nest (called a "drey"), to me, this looks more like a witches' broom since there doesn’t seem to be a ton of leaves and debris in it. A witches broom is an abnormal growth where a branch produces dozens of short, congested twigs from one point. The twigs appear to be radiating out of the branch rather than piled on top of it, and there's no visible leafy outer shell or lining material that you'd typically see in a drey.

If this witches broom is appearing on a spruce, it is likely caused by a native, fungal plant pathogen that alternates its life cycle between two hosts (heteroecious). This pathogen, although rarely the direct cause of tree death, impacts the visual quality of trees and can affect timber productivity in managed forests.

If on a different type of tree (it was difficult to see from the photo), witches' brooms can be caused by mites, fungi, phytoplasmas, or viruses.

Witches brooms are mostly cosmetic and rarely seriously harm an established tree. There's no effective spray. Pruning 6–12 inches above the broom is the standard fix, but since yours aren't safely reachable, leaving them alone is fine.

If it is a drey, you'd likely see a squirrel coming and going during daylight. Have you seen squirrels running about to and fro?

Natural thinning of bottom branches in spruce trees is a normal, age-related occurrence where lower branches are shaded out by upper ones, leading to reduced photosynthesis, needle drop, and eventual branch death. However, if you'd like an in-person assessment, you can find a certified arborist at www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist.

A few resources that may be helpful

• UMD Extension — Witches' Broom on Trees: https://extension.umd.edu/resource/witches-broom-trees/

• U. Illinois Extension — Witches'-broom of Hackberry: https://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/article.php?id=686

• Mass Audubon — Squirrel info & dreys: https://www.massaudubon.org/nature-wildlife/mammals/squirrels

Best of luck!

Hi Ursula - could you create a new ticket for the hydrangea? That way, you can add an image of it in the new ticket and provide the answers to the questions wihtin the worksheet. Thanks.